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Streamlining Commencement

Streamlining Commencement. A ceremony in less than 100 minutes that pleases everyone!. Portland Community College. Rebecca Mathern , Registrar Admissions, Registration, Records, Graduation PCC Facts 24,000 FTE Approximately 3500 graduates annually

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Streamlining Commencement

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  1. Streamlining Commencement A ceremony in less than 100 minutes that pleases everyone!

  2. Portland Community College Rebecca Mathern, Registrar Admissions, Registration, Records, Graduation PCC Facts • 24,000 FTE • Approximately 3500 graduates annually • Approximately 100+ degrees and certificates • Approximately 700+ commencement participants

  3. Commencement History Prior to 2006, commencement at PCC had these challenges: • Student Records was solely responsible • We didn’t deviate from past years • Little or no interaction with other departments • It looked like (well, it is) a hockey arena!

  4. What was wrong? • Poor lighting • No music • No guest speaker • Processional took too long • Line-up seemed too complicated • Faculty sat in front of students • Overall, it was just plain bland

  5. How do we change? • Leadership change provided FRESH EYES (Dean of Enrollment Services) • This was the vision • District President wanted this event to be a Signature Event for the college • This was the permission • College wide committee that offers broad insight and direction for the event • This was the breadth and depth of the expertise we needed

  6. Cosmetic Improvements Lighting Pipe and drape Mace

  7. Less Hockey, More Diplomas

  8. Budgetary Improvements • Honors cords - cost $3200 • Students now purchase their own • Saved money to rent Jumbotrons • $1600 for rental • $1000 for staff support • Graduation Receptions - cost $2000 • Only 20 students attended at all 4 campuses • Lighting • $800 for professional lighting rental • $1200 for lighting and stagehand staff

  9. Communication Improvements • Internal Communication • Planning lists offered month by month breakdown of tasks and communication needs. • External Communication • Electronic communication reminders encouraging students to apply for graduation and sign up for commencement early! • Online RSVP for students rather than a paper RSVP form • Promotional news releases and website improvements

  10. Goodwill Improvements • Grad Fairs • Each campus hosted fairs that celebrated our graduates • Vendors encouraged students to participate in commencement • Phi Theta Kappa • Jostens • Graduation office • Bookstore • FREE (really!) shuttle service from campuses to the commencement facility • Available for students, faculty, staff and guests • Over 450 users during 2010 commencement • Saved $8/vehicle for facility parking • Campus parking free (that day)

  11. Time Improvements • Music • 1 hour of wonderful jazz music by student band prior to event • No music (except national anthem and processional/recessional) during the ceremony • Speakers • Student Speaker • Faculty Speaker • Awards • No external non-graduate related events at the ceremony • Processional/Recessional • Dramatic time savings

  12. Hackett mechanism • Get them in and get them out- FAST! • Assign students a number • Number the chairs • Number the rows (on the floor) • Have an adequate number of marshals • Processional • 20 minutes reduced to 6 minutes • Recessional • 15 minutes reduced to 4 minutes

  13. Line Up and Processional • Line-up by degree/major • Stage Manager • Photos to prepare students

  14. Conferring Degrees • Students do not receive diplomas- only covers. • No name/diploma match is required. • Two name readers

  15. Recessional • It’s the “organized free-for-all” • One the rostrum group leaves the stage, the marshals lead their lines out as quickly as possible! • Center aisle is blocked.

  16. Feedback and Next Steps Current Feedback • Faculty and Staff LOVE the event • Everyone is still energized by the time the event is over Next Steps • Additional piping and drape for staging area to prevent stage mishaps from being visible to guests • Rent a larger room for student staging area • Rotate layout of students and stage for longer more full use of “arena”

  17. Summary • Questions, Comments, Idea Sharing • Find us online • www.pcc.edu/graduate • Contact me with questions • Rebecca Mathern • rmathern@pcc.edu • 971.722.7195

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